Delivering Tangible Solutions For Real-World Issues

HEPN NORTH 2023 AGENDA

HEPN is a unique, two-day learning and networking event which brings together the most inspirational leaders and transformational suppliers in the Higher Education sector to share cutting-edge insight, knowledge and experience. Our agenda is carefully curated to address the most relevant and emerging challenges in the sector.

HEPN North 2023

16th - 17th March, Hilton Deansgate, Manchester

Day 1
Day 2

16 March 2023

8:00 am - 8:55 am

Main Room

Registration
8:55 am - 9:05 am

Main Room

Chair's Opening Remarks

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Welcome to the Higher Education Partnership Network (HEPN), where I’ll be your host. Networking events such as HEPN provide an opportunity for universities to come together to address national and global challenges and to share best...

Welcome to the Higher Education Partnership Network (HEPN), where I’ll be your host. Networking events such as HEPN provide an opportunity for universities to come together to address national and global challenges and to share best practice.
9:05 am - 9:45 am

Main Room

Panel Discussion: How digital can support the needs of the university

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Nigel Buckland

Director of IT Services
Leeds Beckett University

Prof. Kamil Omoteso

Pro-Vice Chancellor
University of Derby

Anna Sheldrake

Director of Digital
University of Suffolk

Simon Corbett

Director of IT
Northumbria University

Universities have a number of corporate objectives, alongside a desire to create an engaging learning experience for students whether they are on-campus, remote, or internationally located. What does a modernised digital strategy that...

Universities have a number of corporate objectives, alongside a desire to create an engaging learning experience for students whether they are on-campus, remote, or internationally located. What does a modernised digital strategy that’s fit for the future look like? One that enables the university to innovate and transform whilst supporting the corporate strategy?
9:50 am - 10:10 am

Main Room

Headline Presentation - Google: Fireside chat: In conversation with Adam Stewart

Adam Stewart

Head of Public Sector, UKI
Google Cloud

With a career spanning 19+ years, Adam Stewart has experience in partnering with education and government projects to improve efficiency, reduce complexity and enable public sector organisations to build for a digital future. Joined by J...

With a career spanning 19+ years, Adam Stewart has experience in partnering with education and government projects to improve efficiency, reduce complexity and enable public sector organisations to build for a digital future. Joined by Jeminatu Alabi-Isama, Adam will delve into how digital transformation is rapidly changing the landscape of Higher Education. We will explore the topics of emerging technologies, sustainability, cyber security, discuss strategies for leveraging these advancements using the Google Cloud Platform and how his team is supporting Universities on their journey.
10:10 am - 10:40 am

Main Room

Dragon's Den Speed Presentations

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
...

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
10:45 am - 12:00 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
12:05 pm - 12:25 pm

Main Room

Proving Value For Money

Dr. Tom Williamson

Assistant Principal
ARU Peterborough

Given increasing pressures, it’s becoming even more crucial to prove the value for money that universities can offer. Are we adding value to the economy? Are we adding value to the employment market? Are we satisfying our social respon...

Given increasing pressures, it’s becoming even more crucial to prove the value for money that universities can offer. Are we adding value to the economy? Are we adding value to the employment market? Are we satisfying our social responsibility? And if we are, how can we prove that?
12:30 pm - 12:50 pm

Main Room

There really are more than 8 hours in the working day....with a digital workforce

Mark Lockett

Public Sector, Director
SS&C Blue Prism

Explore how universities are adopting Intelligent Automation (IA) to increase capacity and deliver service improvement across a wide variety of functions, from student admissions to back office finance and HR. In a changing environment, ...

Explore how universities are adopting Intelligent Automation (IA) to increase capacity and deliver service improvement across a wide variety of functions, from student admissions to back office finance and HR. In a changing environment, IA can support you to become more efficient, agile and responsive to peaks across the academic year.
12:55 pm - 1:15 pm

Main Room

Digital collaboration in the 21st century

Prof. Mohammed Dastbaz

Deputy Vice Chancellor
University of Suffolk

The University of Suffolk have a unique partnership with BT at Adastral Park, which is home to BT’s innovation labs and Innovation Martlesham. Here, they have built a £10m, state-of-the-art campus that has allowed their students to co...

The University of Suffolk have a unique partnership with BT at Adastral Park, which is home to BT’s innovation labs and Innovation Martlesham. Here, they have built a £10m, state-of-the-art campus that has allowed their students to collaborate and work with 155 tech companies worldwide. Find out what opportunities this partnership has given the university in this session!
1:15 pm - 1:55 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch

An opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers to talk over the learnings from the event. Lunch is served buffet style and a range of options are available to cater for different dietary requirements.
2:00 pm - 2:20 pm

Main Room

Be Free to Innovate and Deliver Value

Nick Gibson

Head of Education & Research UK&I
NTT Data

There is a wind of change blowing through the higher education sector and with staff being at a premium, more institutions are looking to outsource the dull jobs in order to allow their valuable resources to concentrate on value add and ...

There is a wind of change blowing through the higher education sector and with staff being at a premium, more institutions are looking to outsource the dull jobs in order to allow their valuable resources to concentrate on value add and innovation. In this session, I will look at how suppliers are stepping up to the mark to automate and improve the mundane, and more importantly I’ll present examples of how other institutions have taken advantage of freeing up resources to deliver excellence. Amongst the many examples that we will look at, we will consider automation, machine learning, artificial intelligence, digital humans, outsourcing and blended teams.
2:25 pm - 2:45 pm

Main Room

How world challenges are impacting our staff and students

Libby Homer

Director of Students and Library Services
Anglia Ruskin University

Inflation, pay, the cost of living, heavy workloads, and wellbeing challenges are affecting our students and staff. This, alongside continuous regulatory and political change, are contributing to a fall in continuation rates. How can we ...

Inflation, pay, the cost of living, heavy workloads, and wellbeing challenges are affecting our students and staff. This, alongside continuous regulatory and political change, are contributing to a fall in continuation rates. How can we better manage the impact that world challenges have on our students and staff?
2:50 pm - 3:10 pm

Main Room

Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Outcome Delivery for Universities

Alexander McNeill

Finance Strategy and Transformation Director
Inoapps and Oracle

Jennifer Tavano- Gallacher

Higher Education Industry Lead
Inoapps and Oracle

This presentation will explore how Connected Planning, brings together often disparate business planning processes, to create a single end-to-end approach; from strategic planning/spending review through to delivery and performance manag...

This presentation will explore how Connected Planning, brings together often disparate business planning processes, to create a single end-to-end approach; from strategic planning/spending review through to delivery and performance management.

We will outline how Cloud Technology should play a fundamental enabling role in informing decision making and driving successful delivery of outcomes by:
– Connecting financial and academic planning, aligned with robust risk and
performance management;
– Driving convergence of processes, data and systems across organisations;
– Delivering sound forecasting, reporting and risk management driven by secure and reliable data;
– Providing predictive analytics and data visualisation tools, with self-service capabilities, that inform decision making and unlock efficiencies.
Finally, we will discuss the considerations Universities need to make to develop this type of leading capability, and bring insight to the lessons learnt from working with your peers on making this a reality.
3:15 pm - 4:30 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
4:35 pm - 5:15 pm

Main Room

Panel Discussion: Defining the purpose of universities

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Sir Timothy O’Shea

Emeritus Professor of Digital Education and former Principal & Vice Chancellor
University of Edinburgh

Jo Purves

Pro-Vice Chancellor, Academic Development
University of Salford

Prof. Letizia Gramaglia

Head of Academic Development & Director of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy
University of Warwick

Libby Homer

Director of Students and Library Services
Anglia Ruskin University

There are a variety of views of what purpose a university serves from students, regulators, government, stakeholders, staff, and society as a whole. Are we here to provide a degree, or to provide skills for future employment? Where does ...

There are a variety of views of what purpose a university serves from students, regulators, government, stakeholders, staff, and society as a whole. Are we here to provide a degree, or to provide skills for future employment? Where does research fit in? What does it mean to be a Civic University? Have your say during this panel session!
5:20 pm - 5:40 pm

Main Room

The importance of a cloud native target operating model!

Kieran Fitzgerald

Head of SAP Services
SoftwareOne

Akan Ozbuluter

UK Commercial Director
TimeEdit

At the heart of your digital transformation, your people, the processes and technology that served you so well in the past must also change to enable you to harness the cloud native technologies and achieve your goals. This requires a ne...

At the heart of your digital transformation, your people, the processes and technology that served you so well in the past must also change to enable you to harness the cloud native technologies and achieve your goals. This requires a new kind of target operating model which is truly cloud native and allows you to innovate and serve your stakeholders, from students to researchers internally and externally.
SoftwareOne, with expertise across SAP, AWS, Azure and application modernisation, helps its customers overcome the barriers which can slow down a digital transformation and bring them in to a truly cloud native way of operating. Please join us at the event to find out how our agile operating model approach can help you.
5:45 pm - 6:05 pm

Main Room

Delivering belonging and equity for students in higher education

Prof. Ebrahim Adia

Pro-Vice Chancellor
University of Central Lancashire

How can we ensure that all our students feel a sense of belonging to their institutions? Prof. Ebrahim How can we deliver greater equity for students?
6:05 pm - 7:30 pm

Main Room

Hotel Check-in/Free Time

Overlooking the Manchester metropolis, the 23-story Hilton Deansgate hotel is in the heart of the city center. Manchester Arena and Piccadilly Station are a mile away and we are surrounded by museums, shops and restaurants. Wake up to fl...

Overlooking the Manchester metropolis, the 23-story Hilton Deansgate hotel is in the heart of the city center. Manchester Arena and Piccadilly Station are a mile away and we are surrounded by museums, shops and restaurants. Wake up to floor-to-ceiling views and spend the evening sipping cocktails at Cloud 23- the highest bar in the city. Our health club features a fitness center, indoor pool, sauna and steam room
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Main Room

Drinks Reception & Networking Dinner

Sponsored by

Google for Education

Networking sessions – throughout the event we host a networking lunch as well as a dinner and drinks reception to give you ample opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers over the learnings from the event. Dinner is served i...

Networking sessions – throughout the event we host a networking lunch as well as a dinner and drinks reception to give you ample opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers over the learnings from the event. Dinner is served in formal-style seating to a set menu. Our delegate team will speak to you to ensure we cater for any specific dietary requirements.
12:30 pm - 12:50 pm

Breakout Room 1

Improve student retention through combatting loneliness and building belonging

Georgia Wheadon

Founder
Umii

Umii’s Founder, Georgia Wheadon, will discuss how loneliness and a lack of belonging can impact the lives of students and their success at university. Through her own experience, Georgia and the Umii team have dedicated their work to s...

Umii’s Founder, Georgia Wheadon, will discuss how loneliness and a lack of belonging can impact the lives of students and their success at university. Through her own experience, Georgia and the Umii team have dedicated their work to solving this challenge. Working alongside their university and student union partners, they have been able to see the huge positive impact that Umii has on student experience and reducing drop-out rates. Georgia will share her findings with you here.
12:55 pm - 1:15 pm

Breakout Room 1

Are we making the most of RPA?

Rob Blagden

Director of Libraries, Technology & Information
University of Gloucestershire

There are many repetitive and mundane tasks that staff within our institutions are having to manage currently, which means that we aren’t currently getting the best out of our workforces. What efficiency gains could we create by introd...

There are many repetitive and mundane tasks that staff within our institutions are having to manage currently, which means that we aren’t currently getting the best out of our workforces. What efficiency gains could we create by introducing robotic process automation (RPA) and releasing resource? This session will describe what the future of higher education could look like if we continue to use RPA at its full potential.
2:25 pm - 2:45 pm

Breakout Room 1

Digital First employability

Jennifer Moorby

Head of Student and Graduate Employability
Manchester Metropolitan University

Hear how Manchester Met’s Digital First approach is improving student employability, improving engagement, making services scalable, and myth busting the digital skills students need.
5:20 pm - 5:40 pm

Breakout Room 1

Maximising operational efficiencies through your university timetable

Matt Dalton

UK Commercial Director
TimeEdit

Unlock the power of timetabling software to help save money, time, and optimise operations. Software can enable the smart scheduling of classes, rooms, and teachers, as well as manage temperature, ventilation, and air conditioning for ed...

Unlock the power of timetabling software to help save money, time, and optimise operations. Software can enable the smart scheduling of classes, rooms, and teachers, as well as manage temperature, ventilation, and air conditioning for educational areas – only opening and utilising spaces when necessary and clustering classes for faster closure of premises – helping to reduce the carbon footprint. With data-driven workflows, existing data can be used to generate efficient timetables that save time and resources. Furthermore, it can track student progress and make sure their academic needs are met. By taking full advantage of this software, Institutions can cut down on expenses and reach a substantially higher level of efficiency and have control of the full processes.
Key learning points:
– Timetabling software can enable space optimisation and reduce unnecessary capital works by only opening and utilising spaces when necessary.
– Data-driven workflows can be used to generate efficient timetables and track student progress, ensuring their academic needs are met.
– With the right software, institutions can make smarter use of their HVAC and building management systems to reduce energy consumption, reduce their carbon footprint and save money.
– By making the best use of timetabling software, students, staff and rooms can be effectively organised, helping the institution to reach its highest level of efficiency
12:55 pm - 1:15 pm

Breakout Room 2

Employability skills for the future

Katrina Armstrong

Employability Lead
Cranfield University

AI is impacting the types of roles available, but you can’t teach robots soft skills! Hear how Cranfield University is preparing its students through the Digital Credentials scheme, enhancing their employability skills, and making them...

AI is impacting the types of roles available, but you can’t teach robots soft skills! Hear how Cranfield University is preparing its students through the Digital Credentials scheme, enhancing their employability skills, and making them confident in articulating them.

17 March 2023

8:55 am - 9:00 am

Main Room

Chair's Opening Remarks

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford
9:00 am - 9:20 am

Main Room

Innovation in co-creation

Tom Wright

Director of Digital Student Experience
University of Lincoln

Not many of our systems are user tested or have a user-centric design. Systems that are built collaboratively with students and staff always provide the best value. This is one example of the power of co-creation. How much more can we in...

Not many of our systems are user tested or have a user-centric design. Systems that are built collaboratively with students and staff always provide the best value. This is one example of the power of co-creation. How much more can we innovate and achieve when we collaborate?
9:20 am - 9:40 am

Main Room

Empowering Academic Leaders for Strategic Impact

Anthony Morris

Head of Partnerships
Interfolio

“Institutions that lack the ability to accurately and quickly leverage faculty information run the risk of falling behind competitors that can use this information to obtain greater research funding and heightened reputation.” Gartne...

“Institutions that lack the ability to accurately and quickly leverage faculty information run the risk of falling behind competitors that can use this information to obtain greater research funding and heightened reputation.” Gartner, 2020 UK universities are increasingly concerned with:
– Recruiting and retaining academic staff – International competition
– Maximising academics’ time by reducing administrative burdens
– Addressing and improving issues related to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, especially with hiring and promotion
– Visibility into the full range of academics’ activities Since today’s leaders are managing a rapidly evolving landscape, how can they also drive the strategic direction of their institutions?

Join Anthony Morris, Head of Partnerships at Interfolio, who will be talking about how leaders who leverage insights are better positioned to grow their institutions.
9:40 am - 10:00 am

Main Room

Oracle cloud advisory with an outcome-based approach

Vaneet Gupta

Chief Solution Architect
Sera Neon Ltd

Operational significance of trusted services to generate dependable solutions. Key learning points: Managing drivers of change impacting an Oracle Cloud programme

– External
– Internal
– Pre-initiatio...

Operational significance of trusted services to generate dependable solutions. Key learning points: Managing drivers of change impacting an Oracle Cloud programme

– External
– Internal
– Pre-initiation
– Inflight programme
– BAU operations
10:05 am - 10:25 am

Main Room

Increasing digital ambition

Prof. Sarah Jones

Pro-Vice Chancellor, Academic Enhancement and Research
University of Gloucestershire

We know our students are digitally adept, but how do we know we are getting the right mix in our pedagogy? What works and what doesn’t in our mobile and app-enabled world?
10:30 am - 11:30 am

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
11:35 am - 11:55 am

Main Room

Recruiting and retaining talent in our technology teams

Clare Gryce

Deputy IT Director
University of Sussex

IT salaries have significantly jumped across most industries with some roles nearly doubling per annum. Most HEIs are affected, which means that recruiting, growing and retaining talent for digital teams is now a risk facing the sector. ...

IT salaries have significantly jumped across most industries with some roles nearly doubling per annum. Most HEIs are affected, which means that recruiting, growing and retaining talent for digital teams is now a risk facing the sector. Creative solutions are needed, and are essential if we are to meet evolving student and academic expectations. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, The Great Resignation, and after losing over 50% of their staff in two years, Peter and Clare share their journey to rebuild and revitalise IT services at Sussex, harnessing the skills and building the energy required to deliver digital transformation for the University.
11:55 am - 12:15 pm

Main Room

Preparing students for the future world of work

Prof. Jackie Labbe

Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost
University of Gloucestershire

The world of work is ever-changing. Employees now want portfolio careers, to be more entrepreneurial, and work in professions that didn’t exist years ago. Universities can not teach skills for jobs that haven’t been invented yet. So ...

The world of work is ever-changing. Employees now want portfolio careers, to be more entrepreneurial, and work in professions that didn’t exist years ago. Universities can not teach skills for jobs that haven’t been invented yet. So how can we prepare our students for future employment?
12:20 pm - 12:00 am

Main Room

Panel Discussion: Campus vs virtual

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Alison Whaley

Director of Student Experience
Cranfield University

Prof. Arad Reisberg

Head of Brunel Law School
Brunel University London

Dr Janet Lord

Director of Education
Manchester Metropolitan University

Prof. Sarah Jones

Pro-Vice Chancellor, Academic Enhancement and Research
University of Gloucestershire

Some will say that an on-campus learning experience is far superior to what can be offered virtually, whereas some will say that online classes provide more flexibility, cheaper, and more effective. Let’s settle this debate in this ses...

Some will say that an on-campus learning experience is far superior to what can be offered virtually, whereas some will say that online classes provide more flexibility, cheaper, and more effective. Let’s settle this debate in this session and share examples of what has worked both in-person and online, with the hope that we can provide the same quality of education for students wherever they are in the world.
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch

An opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers to talk over the learnings from the event. Lunch is served buffet style and a range of options are available to cater for different dietary requirements.
10:05 am - 10:25 am

Breakout Room 1

Chromebooks for Exams in Higher Education

Darren Collins

Tech Lead - Windows
Endpoint Device Management at University of Oxford

Chromebooks have all of the characteristics of the ideal examination device: long battery life, very secure, touch screen equipped, and admin have the ability to manage and monitor thousands of devices from a single console remotely. Joi...

Chromebooks have all of the characteristics of the ideal examination device: long battery life, very secure, touch screen equipped, and admin have the ability to manage and monitor thousands of devices from a single console remotely. Join this session to learn more about how education leaders in HE are leveraging chromebooks to deliver exams at scale.
10:05 am - 10:25 am

Breakout Room 2

Improving efficiency to meet increasing demand

Prof. Craig Gaskell

Pro-Vice Chancellor, Enterprise
Teesside University

In terms of staff capability, availability, and the limited time and money institutions have, current demands are outweighing our capacity to deliver. How do we find the capacity to do everything that’s needed?

Day 1
Day 2

Delivering Tangible Solutions For Real-World Issues

Delivering Tangible Solutions For Real-World Issues

HEPN NORTH 2023 AGENDA

HEPN North 202316th - 17th March, Hilton Deansgate, Manchester

16 March 2023

8:00 am - 8:55 am

Main Room

Registration

8:55 am - 9:05 am

Main Room

Chair's Opening Remarks

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer University of Salford

9:05 am - 9:45 am

Main Room

Panel Discussion: How digital can support the needs of the university

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer University of Salford

Nigel Buckland

Director of IT Services Leeds Beckett University

Prof. Kamil Omoteso

Pro-Vice Chancellor University of Derby

Anna Sheldrake

Director of Digital University of Suffolk

Simon Corbett

Director of IT Northumbria University

9:50 am - 10:10 am

Main Room

Headline Presentation - Google: Fireside chat: In conversation with Adam Stewart

Adam Stewart

Head of Public Sector, UKI Google Cloud

10:10 am - 10:40 am

Main Room

Dragon's Den Speed Presentations

10:45 am - 12:00 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

12:05 pm - 12:25 pm

Main Room

Proving Value For Money

Dr. Tom Williamson

Assistant Principal ARU Peterborough

12:30 pm - 12:50 pm

Main Room

There really are more than 8 hours in the working day....with a digital workforce

Mark Lockett

Public Sector, Director SS&C Blue Prism

12:55 pm - 1:15 pm

Main Room

Digital collaboration in the 21st century

Prof. Mohammed Dastbaz

Deputy Vice Chancellor University of Suffolk

1:15 pm - 1:55 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch

2:00 pm - 2:20 pm

Main Room

Be Free to Innovate and Deliver Value

Nick Gibson

Head of Education & Research UK&I NTT Data

2:25 pm - 2:45 pm

Main Room

How world challenges are impacting our staff and students

Libby Homer

Director of Students and Library Services Anglia Ruskin University

2:50 pm - 3:10 pm

Main Room

Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Outcome Delivery for Universities

Alexander McNeill

Finance Strategy and Transformation Director Inoapps and Oracle

Jennifer Tavano- Gallacher

Higher Education Industry Lead Inoapps and Oracle

3:15 pm - 4:30 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

4:35 pm - 5:15 pm

Main Room

Panel Discussion: Defining the purpose of universities

Mark Wantling

Chief Information Officer University of Salford

Sir Timothy O’Shea

HEPN North 2023

16th - 17th March, Hilton Deansgate, Manchester

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Director of IT Services
Leeds Beckett University

Pro-Vice Chancellor
University of Derby

Director of Digital
University of Suffolk

Director of IT
Northumbria University

Head of Public Sector, UKI
Google Cloud

Assistant Principal
ARU Peterborough

Public Sector, Director
SS&C Blue Prism

Deputy Vice Chancellor
University of Suffolk

Head of Education & Research UK&I
NTT Data

Director of Students and Library Services
Anglia Ruskin University

Finance Strategy and Transformation Director
Inoapps and Oracle

Higher Education Industry Lead
Inoapps and Oracle

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Emeritus Professor of Digital Education and former Principal & Vice Chancellor
University of Edinburgh

Pro-Vice Chancellor, Academic Development
University of Salford

Head of Academic Development & Director of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy
University of Warwick

Director of Students and Library Services
Anglia Ruskin University

Head of SAP Services
SoftwareOne

UK Commercial Director
TimeEdit

Pro-Vice Chancellor
University of Central Lancashire

Founder
Umii

Director of Libraries, Technology & Information
University of Gloucestershire

Head of Student and Graduate Employability
Manchester Metropolitan University

UK Commercial Director
TimeEdit

Employability Lead
Cranfield University

Chief Information Officer
University of Salford

Director of Digital Student Experience
University of Lincoln

Head of Partnerships
Interfolio